Independent Agencies Quentin Baek, Stephen Magnuson, Laura Fowler, Adam Link.

Background Until the 1880s, nearly all that the Federal Government did was done through its Cabinet departments. Since then, Congress has created a large number of addition agencies – the independent agencies. They number nearly 150.

Background Several independent agencies administer programs similar to those of the Cabinet departments. Ex) NASA

Independent Agencies The Social Security Administration is the largest unit today. Health and Human Services has the largest budget.

Why Independent Agencies Some have been set up outside the regular departmental structure simply b/c they do not fit well within any department. Ex) GSA(The General Services Administration.) Ex) OPM(The Office of Personnel Management)

Why Independent Agencies Most of the agencies are independent only in the sense that they are not located within any of the 15 Cabinet departments. They are not independent of the President and the executive branch.

3 Main Groups. The independent executive agencies The independent regulatory commissions The government corporations.

Independent executive agencies Includes most of the independent agencies Ex) GSA, NASA, EPA (three of the largest independent executive agencies) Headed by a single administrator with subunits operating on a regional basis.

Independent executive agencies The most important difference between these independent executive agencies and the 15 executive departments is simply that they do not have Cabinet status. They sometimes attract public notice. Ex) The Civil Rights Commission, The Peace Corps, The Federal Election Commission, and the National Transportation Safety Board

Independent Executive Agencies They have few employees Small budgets Rarely attract any attention

Independent Regulatory Commissions They stand out because they are largely beyond the reach of presidential direction and control There are ten of the agencies Created to regulate, police, important aspects of the nation’s economy

Independent Regulatory Commissions The independent regulatory commissions’ large measure of independence from the White House comes mainly from the way in which Congress has structured them. Each is headed by a board or commission made up of five to seven members appointed by the President with Senate consent.

Independent Regulatory Commissions The officers of five of these agencies can be removed by the President only for those causes Congress has specified Unlike other independent agencies, the regulatory commissions are also quasi- legislative and quasi-judicial That is, Congress has given them certain legislative-like and judicial-like powers

Quasi-legislative, quasi-judicial They exercise the quasi-legislative powers when they make rules and regulations They exercise the quasi-judicial powers when they decide disputes in those fields in which Congress has given them policing authority.

Government Corporations Government Corporations are within the executive branch and subject to the President’s direction and control Unlike the others, they were set up by Congress to carry out certain business- like activities.

Government Corporations Created when Congress chartered the Bank of the United States in Congress set up dozens of corporations to carry out emergency programs. There are now more than 50 of these agencies Ex) U.S. Postal Service, FDIC, NPCA, PBGC, TVA

Government Corporations The President selects most of the top officers of government corporations with Senate confirmation. These public agencies are financed by public funds.

Government Corporations Some are attached to an executive department(not independent) Ex) The Commodity Credit Corporation Some do have independence. Ex) The Tennessee Valley Authority

Questions What were the three main groups of independent agencies? What is the major difference between independent executive agencies and the 15 executive department? What was the word for the regulatory commissions to exercise when they make rules? Which of the three groups was set up by Congress to carry out certain business-like activities? How many independent agencies are there today?